Meroe
/ˈmɛrəwiː/noun
Meroe was an ancient city and royal cemetery of the Kingdom of Kush in present-day Sudan.
Did you know?Meroe had its own writing system, Meroitic, which has been partially deciphered but still cannot be fully understood.
Etymological Timeline
1st millennium BCE
Egyptian
Meroe
“The original local name is uncertain; the city belonged to the Kingdom of Kush.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Μερόη (Meróē)
“Greek authors used Meroe for the Kushite royal city and surrounding region.”
1st century BCE–4th century CE
Meroitic
𐦨𐦣𐦪𐦩𐦢
“Meroitic inscriptions record the city within the kingdom’s indigenous administrative and religious world; the name’s exact meaning remains uncertain.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Meroë
“Latin writers adopted the Greek geographical name for the Kushite capital.”
19th century
English
Meroe / Meroë
“English archaeological and historical writing revived the name for the ancient site in Sudan.”
Modern English
English
Meroe
“The archaeological site is known for its temples, royal pyramids, and evidence of a powerful Nile civilization.”